Five Surefire Ways to Control Scope Creep

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It happens in every project from a site design to a search campaign, you start out working with one set of requirements and end up building something much more robust.  It’s a fact of nature, but the question remains, how do you control scope creep?

Before I share the top five things we do to manage scope creep, let’s get one thing straight.  Scope creep is not a bad thing; it’s a great opportunity to make a project better.  The challenge is to properly estimate and implement the new elements of a project while balancing budget and timeline expectations.

Scope Creep Buster #1: Determine the Scope Up Front

Your scope can’t creep if you don’t have a scope!  Any time we find a project that’s gone rogue it’s usually because the up-front planning was never done.  If you want to minimize the chance a project can spiral out of control, make sure you’ve got a clear project plan, site map, and deliverables.  The graphic to the left is a simple site map we do for any new site.  While it’s not complex, it does clearly indicate what is and what is not included.

Scope Creep Buster #2: Consistently Review the Plan
Imagine going on a cross-country trip and only looking at the map once in your driveway and again when you get to where you think you’re going.  This is just as crazy as developing a project plan and only looking at it when you are finished.  I recommend you constantly have your project’s map out to make sure you’re on the right road.  If you’re not meeting to discuss a project and its status on a weekly basis you’re asking for scope creep.

Scope Creep Buster #3: Address Changes Quickly
This is the seed from which scope creep grows.  Your client (or you if you’re a client) asks for a simple change to a project that only takes an additional half hour so the agency knocks out the change and doesn’t make note of it.  If this happens 10 or 20 times over the course of a long project, you’ve got significant scope creep.  Before any change takes place, no matter how simple it appears, both the agency and client need to be aware of how it will affect the overall budget and scope.

Scope creep often leads to budget creep.  When you encounter a change that will affect the budget, be transparent and share what the cost increases will be as soon as possible with everyone involved.  In most cases the additional budget is well spent, but the time for that decision is when the change happens, not when the invoice is delivered.

Scope Creep Buster #4: Embrace the Timeline

The simple act of time passing causes scope creep and budget bloat.  Every project we undertake has a detailed timeline, as indicated in the adjacent graphic.  What this does is limit the likelihood that a project will go on indefinitely and grow beyond its original scope.  I recommend you keep an eye on timelines and adjust them accordingly.  This results in projects getting done, clients and agencies being happier, budgets staying in line and the scope being confined.

Scope Creep Buster #5: Be Realistic
In truth you can’t stop scope creep, but you can control and minimize it with these tips.  Most of the time a little scope creep is a good thing because it can improve an overall project.  Where scope creep becomes a problem is when it’s not addressed until after the fact. 

Be realistic, when planning budget in time and money for minor changes to a project’s scope and don't forget to document it properly.  If you’re realistic and proactive about the scope of a project, it leads to a better working relationship with everyone involved.